Scaevola plant named ‘SVAZ0006’

ABSTRACT

A new Scaevola plant named ‘SVAZ0006’ particularly distinguished by its large dark violet-blue flowers with pale yellow-green eyes, continuous and an abundant flowering response, medium green foliage, a vigorous densely spreading growth habit with excellent branching and heat tolerance.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Scaevola aemula.

Varietal denomination: ‘SVAZ0006’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Scaevola, botanically known as Scaevola aemula, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘SVAZ0006’.

‘SVAZ0006’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has large dark violet-blue flowers with pale yellow-green eyes, continuous and an abundant flowering response, medium green foliage, a vigorous densely spreading growth habit with excellent branching and heat tolerance.

‘SVAZ0006’ originates from an open hybridization in an outdoor field in August 2012 in Gilroy, Calif. The female parent was identified as ‘710-2’ an unpatented proprietary breeding line having light violet-blue flowers and a more open spreading plant habit. The male parent of ‘SVAZ0006’ is unknown.

The resulting seeds were sown in March 2014 and ‘SVAZ0006’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in August 2014 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘SVAZ0006’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in October 2014 in a controlled environment in Gilroy, Calif.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in October 2014 in Gilroy, Calif., and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘SVAZ0006’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘SVAZ0006’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar has not yet been applied for. ‘SVAZ0006’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effective filing date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that may have been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘SVAZ0006’ directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Scaevola as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘SVAZ0006’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type.

The photographic drawings show in FIG. 1, a flowering plant of the new variety growing in an outdoor field and

in FIG. 2, a close-up of the flowers.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs were taken September 2019 in Gilroy, Calif. The plants were growing in an outdoor field. They were about 6 months in age. The age of the plants in the description were approximately 5 months in age.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘SVAZ0006’ AND A SIMILAR VARIETY ‘BOMY DABULE’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,770 ‘SVAZ0006’ (Bombay Dark Blue) Flower color: Darker violet-blue Lighter violet-blue Flower quantity: More Less Foliage: Smaller Larger Plant size: More vigorous More compact

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Herbaceous perennial. Dense and             spreading, growing wider than tall. For outdoor use in             ground, containers, or hanging baskets. Time for producing a             commercial, flowering plant approximately is 12 weeks for             one plant in a quart size container.         -   Plant height.—30 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—30 cm.         -   Plant width.—88 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—About 10 days at about 21             degrees C.         -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting plant.—3.5 weeks             at about 22 degrees C.         -   Type.—Fibrous and self-branching.         -   Color.—RHS 155D. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement of leaves.—Alternate.         -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137B.         -   Immature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 137C.         -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137A.         -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 137C.         -   Length.—4.1-5.5 cm.         -   Width.—1.4-2.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Spatulate.         -   Base shape.—Acute.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Dentate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Leathery, pubescent.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Leathery, pubescent.         -   Pattern of leaf veins.—Pinnate.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 137A.         -   Color of vein (midrib), lower surface.—RHS 137C.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 138C.         -   Length.—0.4-0.6 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.3-0.4 cm.         -   Petiole, texture.—Leathery, pubescent. -   Stem:     -   -   Branching characteristics.—Very free branching with lateral             branches forming at potentially every node.         -   Quantity of main branches per plant.—12-15.         -   Color of stem.—RHS 137C with some anthocyanin present.         -   Color of anthocyanin.—Closest to RHS 178B.         -   Length of stem.—30-45 cm.         -   Diameter (at about mid point).—0.4 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—3.4-8.0 cm.         -   Stem, texture.—Glabrous. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type of inflorescence.—Solitary sessile flowers, emerging             from leaf axils with one flower per leaf axil stem.             Indeterminate.         -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—1, with 5-10 flowers             open per stem.         -   Blooming habit.—Continuously from spring through fall.         -   Quantity of flowers per plant.—About 450 in various stages             of development.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—Approximately             6-8 days, depending on temperature.         -   Fragrance.—Absent.         -   Peduncle.—None. Flowers are sessile. -   Bud (just before opening/showing color):     -   -   Color.—RHS 191C with some anthocyanin present.         -   Color of anthocyanin.—Closest to RHS 178B.         -   Length.—1.3-1.5 cm.         -   Width.—0.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Lenticular. -   Immature flower:     -   -   Diameter.—2.0 cm.         -   Vertical diameter.—About 2.3 cm.         -   Color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 93B.         -   Color lower surface.—Closest to RHS 86B. -   Mature flower:     -   -   Shape.—Composed of 5 petals fused at the base and in a             semicircular or fan-like arrangement to form a lower part             which is open tube-shaped; the petals are situated at obtuse             angles to the flower base and minimally overlap.         -   Flower, horizontal diameter.—2.5-2.7 cm.         -   Flower, depth.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Flower, diameter of the funnel.—0.3 cm, open tube.         -   Flower color, upper surface.—RHS 86B.         -   Flower color, lower surface.—RHS 86D.         -   Throat diameter.—0.3 cm.         -   Throat texture.—Pubescent.         -   Tube length.—0.7 cm.         -   Tube texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color of the funnel, inner side.—RHS 160A.         -   Color of the funnel, outside.—RHS 160A with streaks of RHS             86A.         -   Number of petals.—5.         -   Petal, shape.—Roughly elliptical with pointed tips.         -   Petal apex shape.—Apiculate.         -   Petal base shape.—Fused.         -   Petal margin.—Entire.         -   Petal length, from the corolla opening.—1.1 cm.         -   Petal width, maximum.—0.5 cm.         -   Petal texture, both surfaces.—Glabrous, smooth.         -   Corolla, texture of upper surface.—Glabrous, smooth.         -   Corolla, texture of lower surface.—Glabrous, smooth.         -   Pedicel, color.—Not present. Sessile.         -   Length.—Not applicable.         -   Diameter.—Not applicable.         -   Pedicel, texture.—Not applicable. -   Calyx:     -   -   Form.—Composed of one larger and somewhat fleshy sepal and             two narrow sepals at the base of the flower.         -   Sepal lower surface color.—RHS 137A.         -   Color, visible outer surface.—RHS 137A.         -   Length.—1.2 cm.         -   Width.—0.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate for the larger sepal and ligulate for the             narrow sepals.         -   Apex shape.—Narrowly acute.         -   Base.—Sessile.         -   Margins.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent. -   Reproductive organs: -   Gynoecium:     -   -   Pistil.—1, with a 5-lobed stigma.         -   Style length.—2.5 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.05 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS 150D.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 185B and 145B.         -   Stigma shape.—Five lobed.         -   Ovary color.—RHS 144B. -   Androecium:     -   -   Stamens.—5, protruding from the flower throat.         -   Filaments.—Fused with the base of the flower.         -   Anther.—Narrow, ovate.         -   Anther color.—RHS 4D.         -   Anther length.—0.2 cm.         -   Color of pollen.—RHS 4D.         -   Pollen amount.—Sparse.         -   Fertility/seed set.—Moderate.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been observed on this             hybrid.         -   USDA hardiness zone.—Hardy to zone 10. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Scaevola plant named ‘SVAZ0006’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 